I'm almost tempted to give this show 5 stars. Yes, to a 95. Morning Dew is that good. The whole second set is top-notch. It has plenty of playful exploration in Scarlet and especially the first jam of Fire, digging into every nuance possible in the two-chord structure. Woman Smarter is pretty standard, but It's All Too Much is a stellar performance, much better than 3-18-95 which itself was jaw-dropping. Then there's more exploration when Playin' quickly morphs into a Supplication jam. Drums and Space are cut shorter than usual for this tour (hey, they went over an hour in the 2nd set before Drums), and then comes Easy Answers -- nobody's first choice in that slot (although I'd take it over Miracle any day and twice on Sunday).

But then, THEN ...

It didn't even matter by the end that the dynamics weren't right in the song part (it didn't have the buildup over the verses that sets up a big peak in the middle jam). The closing jam was about as close to perfection as it gets. The gradual increase in volume and intensity, the way Jerry leaves spaces in his playing for most of the way, like he's just noodling, but in reality he's stoking the embers into an inferno that rages in a huge climax. And the band is right there with him. By the end, they are hitting that familiar spot, and we're feeling that familiar rush that anyone who attended a show where Dew was played feels. It is Morning Dew. It is the Dead at their most intense, at their most overwhelming. It doesn't even matter that the first set was rather blase, that Jerry was all over the place in Row Jimmy. All imperfection is forgotten by the end of Morning Dew.

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Having seen the Dead since 1980 and knowing the ups and downs of the band and the scene.We had been here before. It was clear Garia was having stuggles in Vegas, but the overall sound of the band was great.With Unbroken Chain resuurection the optimism, that was always an endearing quality of being a Dead Head, of better times lay ahead. These two shows stand on their own for that sacred place in Dead Head lore. Albany always welcomed the Dead and on this night the band delivered. Opening with a smokin Bucket, Jerry next gives one of the best readings of Loser you can find. Row Jimmy was amazing with the band exploring the nuances and delivering a great version. You have to say that Broken Arrow was the song that really put it over the top. It was Phil's best song and Jerry loved playing it. A rockin Promised had the place buzzing.The second set had everyone expecting an outstanding second set and that is what we got. The Scarlet> Fire was a blast to experience and Jerry had many searing moments. All Too Much was a wonderful surprise, it continued the themes of regret and reflection that were clearly on Jerry's mind.Hearing Supplication for the first time since 1985 was wild. Bill and Mickey really are the unsung heros of the 94-95 era and they rocked.Spaces during this time had the most creative sounds and needs to be listened to. Ok Easy Answers was not anyone's preferred choice but....it rocked and then redemption.What makes this Dew stand on it's own, as one of the top 10 ever, is the ending jam. Jerry explores many moods and displays that fragile nature which we loved, his voice is strong and clear with conviction. As we all know too much that in a instance, like a leaf flowing down a stream, he will explode with emotion. The band, especially Phil, is right there and the ending is epic. Jerry was bathed in white and the place was in ectasy. Wow! A rousing US Blues had us all filing out blown away. Thinking about it all these years later it did matter anyway....